The Ukrainian army has begun a special operation against pro-autonomy activists in the eastern town of Slavyansk. The city is now blockaded by the Ukrainian military, with 20 helicopters reportedly deployed to crack down on self-defense forces.

Two helicopters have been shot down by self-defense forces,
according to reports. Earlier, two helicopters were allegedly
downed, with two pilots dead and another one captured, RIA
Novosti news agency reported. This information was confirmed by
Ukraine's coup-appointed Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.

Following the loss of the aircraft, Kiev halted their operation.

The total death toll in Slavyansk currently stands at three:
besides the two troops, there is also one fatality among the
defense forces. Both sides report injuries.

Also, a journalist’s car has reportedly been fired on, according
to RT's Paula Slier who is trying to reach the scene, but the
Ukrainian army seems to be blocking all entrances to the city -
and even Kramatorsk.

The Slavyansk self-defense leader said that helicopters were
firing on the city with missiles, but that there have been no
reports of damage, Interfax stated.

Slavyansk self-defense forces told RIA Novosti that the Ukrainian
military had attacked several positions.

“The attack is targeting a few checkpoints at the same time.
A few armored vehicles and airborne combat vehicles arrived and
airborne troops descended from the helicopters and attacked the
checkpoints. Some forces were dropped off around the train
station, where we didn’t have anyone,” RIA Novosti quoted
the press secretary of the Slavyansk self-defense units as
saying.

Pro-federalization units prepared sacks with sand. The
atmosphere is tense, people are ready to fight.

Early on Friday morning, a city siren – which is designed to warn
local residents of a Ukrainian military attack – went off and
shots were heard. A few minutes later, the siren stopped and
everything calmed down, according to reports.

A few of the activists were injured during the attack, Interfax
cited the city’s self-defense unit as saying.

A commander at one of the checkpoints told RIA Novosti that the
Ukrainian army had taken control of one of the roadblocks on the
outskirts of Slavyansk, as well as the city’s TV broadcasting
center. The Ukrainian army was mounting artillery positions
around the captured TV station in Slavyansk, a city
administration spokesman said, as cited by RIA Novosti.

A police station was reportedly seized, while the city center
remains quiet, RT’s Paula Slier reported from Ukraine. Several
armored vehicles have been seen outside Slavyansk, she added.

Thick smoke was spotted on the outskirts of the city, where the
roadblocks are located.

A video posted on YouTube reportedly shows the start of the
special operation in Slavyansk:

Meanwhile, the OSCE is trying to reach the Ukrainian authorities
in attempt to stop the military operation in the country’s
southeast, after a request from Russia.

“We’ve demanded that all that be stopped, and that
humanitarian corridors be created for the civilian population,
and all air forces flights halted,” the Russian permanent
representative to the organization, Andrey Kelin, told RIA
Novosti news agency.